NBCC Honors Four Wo(men) Who Get It Right at 18th Annual Gala

New York, New York, November 21, 2013—The National Breast Cancer Coalition will host its 18th Annual New York Gala this evening at Gotham Hall in New York City. This year, NBCC is proud to honor Robbie Myers, Editor-in-Chief, ELLE, and Silvia Formenti, MD, Sandra and Edward H. Meyer Professor and Chair, Department of Radiation Oncology, Associate Director, NYU Cancer Institute, along with advocates Marie Kaplan and Desiree A. H. Walker, both from New York.

“I look forward to this evening dedicated to recognizing the commitment and vision of incredible individuals who understand the importance of our mission to end breast cancer,” said NBCC President Fran Visco. “NBCC is honored to present the NBCC Leadership Awards to Robbie Myers and Silvia Formenti, MD and this year’s Advocacy Awards to Marie Kaplan and Desiree A. H. Walker, two truly amazing activists”

These awards recognize individuals who have made a true difference in the world of breast cancer and embody the spirit of NBCC: passionate, relentless and mission-driven. NBCC is pleased to recognize them for their leadership and the extraordinary work they have done toward ending breast cancer.

“The National Breast Cancer Coalition is an exceptional organization and their initiative, Breast Cancer Deadline 2020®, is nothing less than inspiring,” said Myers. “Their ongoing hard work and research will be a decisive part of putting an end to this devastating disease.”

“It’s an honor to receive NBCC’s Leadership Award and to work beside such courageous women in our effort toward this goal to know how to end breast cancer by the end of the decade,” said Dr. Formenti. “NBCC’s emphasis on saving women’s lives is unlike any other organization with which I have worked. I am proud to partner with them.”

“I am humbled to receive this award and represent breast cancer survivors who fought so hard for this cause and lost their battle,” said Kaplan. “Through the efforts of this incredible grassroots organization and its advocates, we will know how to end breast cancer by January 1, 2020.”

“I am so proud to have been chosen to receive this advocacy award. Because of the science training I received through NBCC’s Project LEAD®, I am empowered and confident to join the breast cancer dialogue. Thank you NBCC. I believe together we will save lives by ending this disease,” said Walker.

The 18th Annual New York Gala is a benefit event for the National Breast Cancer Coalition. NBCC gives special thanks to the evening’s co-chairs, Stephanie Disegni, President & CEO, Longchamp USA and Julia Goldin, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Revlon, Inc.

About Silvia Formenti, MDDr. Silvia Formenti is the Sandra and Edward H. Meyer Professor and Chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology at NYU since 1999. She is also the Associate Director for Clinical Research and the co-Leader of the Breast Cancer Research Program of the NYU Cancer Institute. Dr. Formenti has pioneered the use of concurrent chemo-radiation in locally advanced breast cancer. Dr. Formenti has demonstrated in preclinical models how ionizing radiation can result in immunogenic cell death, converting the primary tumor into an individual in vivo vaccine.

About Marie KaplanMarie Kaplan was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1991. She attended her first NBCC Advocacy Training Conference in 1994 and has been a skillful public policy advocate, making the case for the Coalition’s priorities year after year. Marie not only brought her considerable skills to public policy advocacy, she gave much of her time to helping individual women. She has been an avid volunteer for the Adelphi New York Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline and Support Program since 1997. Marie joined the NBCC Board of Directors in 2002 as the Adelphi representative and served for nine years. She is a graduate of NBCC’s Project LEAD® Institute and every single training program NBCC has held.

About Robbie MyersRobbie Myers is Editor-in-Chief of ELLE. Under her leadership, ELLE has experienced unprecedented success, while maintaining its reputation as the best in fashion, beauty, culture, arts, writing and reporting, and news coverage with exceptional visuals, all delivered with style and substance. ELLE-branded content is read by eight million consumers monthly. ELLE has increased total readership 16% in the past five years, the largest increase reported in the category. ELLE has received numerous accolades during Myers’ tenure including being named to Adweek’s Hot List and Brand Leaders List. ELLE’s 2013 September issue was the largest issue ever published in Hearst’s 125-year-history.

About Desiree A. H. WalkerDesiree A. H. Walker was first diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 38 and again at 47. In 2008, she became a volunteer with SHARE, helping with their peer to peer support program for women facing breast or ovarian cancers. She attended NBCC’s 2011 Advocate Summit and her first Lobby Day in Washington, DC, and a few months later she attended Project LEAD®, NBCC’s premiere science training program. Her advocacy since Project LEAD has included facilitating a breast cancer support group for women of African, African-American & Caribbean heritage at the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention in Harlem and peer review for the Department of Defense's (DOD) Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP).

About NBCCThe National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC) is dedicated to knowing how to end breast cancer by January 1, 2020 through the power of grassroots action and advocacy. NBCC supports increased federal funding for breast cancer research; monitors how research funds are spent; expands access to quality health care for all; and ensures that trained advocates influence all decision making that affects breast cancer. Join NBCC, learn more and take action. Visit BreastCancerDeadline2020.org